A Whatever In Need
by FanficMogul
Summary: A rival plot creates a misunderstanding, Bulma turns Vegeta out of the house. Moreover, Trunks & Bulla's Android is stolen. Everyone tries to help. Can everything be alright again? Who are the people behind the childish but cruel plan? Read & review.
1. The Girl

**A/N:**My first fanfic so please be generous. Please R&R. Constructive criticism is most welcome. Rating is T for language and subsequent complex emotions. Genre is little bit of everything, so it's officially General, but mainly Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Drama and Romance. No official leading characters. Though it now looks just BV, others are all there, and I'll give away that Goku will have a huge part later. I don't agree completely to GT. My version has a happier and earlier ending. So this takes place after _my_ GT. Quite long note; now read on and please bear with me.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** If I'd have owned DBZGT, the last two letters would have meant something less irritating.

* * *

It was a usual Saturday morning at Capsule Corp. Bulma had just finished a major upgrade on the company's life-giving product—the hoi-hoi capsule, which was also, of course, its namesake. She had worked overnight, but the thought of her parents, especially her father watching her from above, their hearts bursting with pride, had gained a way upper hand on her exhaustion. She sat at the window of the kitchen with her mug of coffee, looking out at her late father's pets and remembering how her mother tended to them and the garden. They were a great comfort to her after his death, till she herself left them the next year. The garden never looked as lively since they left the living world and the bots took over. All was quiet except for the din of bots cleaning up the Lab, the 'hah-hoos' of Vegeta's training, the slightly different din of his training bots and of course the softened-by-the-GR's-padding-but-actually-jarring thuds of them, and much more, breaking. The only building on that side capable of being visible above the boundary wall in spite of the half-mile peripheral on that side was ZZTV's West City office. It was six in the morning, so the huge TV screen on its side was still turned off, and the morning mist made the skyscraper look like a cloud castle's tower to Bulma's imaginative mind. Though she was no more the surreal-minded sixteen-year-old, she still loved castles. And why wouldn't she? She was married to a Prince, only he wasn't human, and where from he came, it was more princely to go about being cocky and ordering one and all, than to be a caring, loving, friend-cum-saviour of the people... well, etc. etc. Still, she loved that idiot of a Saiyan Prince. She knew the caring, big-hearted man under the tough shell, and was the only one in the whole gang who really, completely understood why Goku gave the man chance after chance to 'be one of the good guys' and Vegeta had, actually done so, though he wouldn't admit it. When she went to search for the Dragonballs, little did she know that it would change her life forever. An alien for a friend, another for a husband, extraordinary humans for more friends, half-aliens for her friend's and her own children, several alien species to know, kais and wish-granting dragons—the whole lot was added to her then-realising-and-now-realised dream of being a huge success as a genius scientist and a gorgeous beauty.

Though Vegeta as always had risen early to train, the kids were sleeping in as it was a weekend, and the blue-haired genius decided to chalk out plans of shopping with Chi-chi during the weekend and unveiling the new capsules come Monday. She set her mug down in the sink and came back to her seat. She stared out of the window making her plans and soon was engrossed in them, when an ear-shattering but familiar boom, followed by a huge shout-groan-snort-grumble sequence deserving similar adjectives shook her out of her thoughts. Bulma knew what she would hear next. _There go my plans_, she thought._ Well, I'm **not **getting up until I wish to. If he thinks…_

— "What are you dreaming of, woman? The GR's busted and I want you to fix it."

— "Want won't do. Say you need me to. And don't forget the P-L-E-A-S-E. Do. You. Get. Me. Your. Stupid. Majes-ty?"

—"Woman do you know whom you're speaking to? Get up and do it!!"

—"Yeah I do. The GREAT GRIFFIN PRINCE of three-and-one-fourth alien primates. (makes a face). AND I'm not responsible for the GR busting so I wooooooon't fixit."

—"Woman it's not my fault that these Earthly materials and your stupid designs are made out for puny humans and can't take Royal Saiyan strength!"

—"If my designs are stupid then why do you _want_ them?"

—"Hmph…They are the best I get on this mud ball AND I NEED TO TRAIN!!"

—"So you admit you need it. Now say please and _maybe_, the world's greatest scientist will consider about helping you."

—"I don't need the fucking help of anyone, understand?"

—"Then why do you ask?"

—"I told you once."

—"I won't fix it then. Go train in the lawn."

…

—"Hmph."

Bulma watched the towel slung back recede for a while and then made her way towards her lab. As much as she grumbled about it, making the GR stronger for Vegeta's regime, and the occasional spars among Trunks, Goku, Gohan and Goten and him was a pleasant challenge for Bulma. Whenever it 'busted', Bulma, in addition to re-building it always tried to upgrade it. And Vegeta wasn't really that ungrateful. He just had his own ways of being nice and through these ways he made sure that he never had to **admit** that he was being nice.

* * *

Bulma was finished with the upgraded blueprints in ten minutes and was steadily building the units. She occasionally looked out of the window, smirking at Vegeta's exasperated face as he did his katas in the lawn. Of course, she didn't see him every time she looked, for the lawn was huge, and Vegeta's slowest speed even was tremendous. At a point of time, she heard Trunks and Bulla walk down the hall towards their own mini-lab._ Must be the going to work on the secret invention for 18's birthday_, she thought. They both helped with her research, and Trunks, 25, was one vice-president of CC already. Bulla was all set, at 19, to become another once she finished college. Trunks was also an impressive fighter, and their parents were proud of them, though one parent didn't often admit it.

Bulma was done with the un-upgraded parts in half-an-hour, and then she stopped looking out when she began on the upgrades.

* * *

Meanwhile in the lawn, a sinister-looking redhead landed behind a bush. Yes, landed. She could fly, and had thus jumped the security to land in the lawn. The sophisticated ki-sensors hadn't sensed her. She had a high-tech suppressor. And she had a mission—to take a step to ruin the Briefs family that no other rival had thought of. The plan to ruin them not only financially, but also to take away all their happiness, was quite foolproof, for the one who assigned the mission had a deep grudge against the family, especially Bulma, and also a full knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses. The plan was, after all, directed at Bulma, but it included the others for _they_ were her happiness. The only thing the girl's 'owners' regretted was that they couldn't do it while their own father was alive, and not even while the 'old man', Dr. Briefs was alive. It all had begun with them, and they had wanted them both to watch, but at least the company was still _there _and still _theirs_, and the revenge was ready.

The redhead saw Vegeta in the lawn and sparked her senses to find Bulma in the lab. _Perfect,_ she thought. She knew the campus, and the lab window, as she found was quite unchanged from when her bosses had last seen it. Yeah, she preferred 'boss', but they loved to 'own' her and wouldn't let her forget it. And also, she was theirs for just ten hours till then. They wouldn't tolerate any disobedience from such a 'youngster'.

Vegeta was training as intently as possible for him in the open air. Punch, punch, kick, elbow, spin, kick. Run, jump, fly up, flip, punch, punch, kick, dip, fling, dip, land, elbow, kick, stance. Vegeta finished the combo, left his stance and paused for a while, not of course to rest, but with the intention to go and hurry up the woman.

He was about to move closer and shout, when a shrill, seductive voice cut through the air, though it was not loud.

—"Hi handsome!! In a bad mood, are you?"

Vegeta turned to see a brown-eyed redhead standing beside the bush. She had soft-curled hair, left loose, and looked like a perfect femme fatale with her brown headband with pink flowers, red scarf, white full-sleeve shirt, purple jeans jacket and peach-coloured jeans trousers.

—"You are Vegeta right! And your wife's a bitch. _What_ a waste of a handsome, macho hottie…"

—"You have NO business here! Get it? Stop being a whore and get out!"

Vegeta used a cold tone, but did not shout, so that his wife wouldn't get disturbed and could work peacefully in the lab 40 metres away. (Of course, he only cared for his GR, not for her. ;-P)

The girl came closer and put a hand on his shoulder, breathing on his face. Vegeta winced. No one could force him to even _think_ of cheating on his Queen. Though he didn't admit it, he loved his genius wife. He drew back and growled.

—"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME YOU CHEAP FUCKING FOOLISH WHORE!! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN TO YOUR KIND!! And if the woman sees you…"

The girl winked at him;—"Ooh, don't worry hottie…"

Vegeta was about to snap at her again, but Bulma finished the GR's units just then, and decided to ask Vegeta to carry the units to the room so that she and the bots could assemble them. Of course, the bots could carry them, but she felt that it was high time Vegeta contributed to the building of his too-often-busting training equipment. Unfortunately for both the scientist and the Prince, though out of earshot, the open lawn did not hinder Bulma's vision. She turned towards the window and… she froze.

She couldn't believe it. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. _Her_ Vegeta surely wasn't… but the girl was almost kissing him!! As soon as she found her voice, she screamed. Vegeta had just sensed her ki rise and was looking at her, stone-eyed; the scream made him skip a heartbeat.

—"You… you… girl… how dare you…and Vegeta…YOU ARE …!! HOW COULD YOU? YOU…"

Bulma's face turned red. She was very upset, and totally enraged. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead and merged with her hot tears. She ran out through the lab's door, down the corridors, through the hall, to the living room and out through the front door to the lawn. By the time she reached Vegeta, the seductress had taken off and gone far beyond the boundary walls. Bulma reached there and Vegeta looked at her, his stoic defensive expression giving way to a rare pleading look.

* * *

Bulma was slightly wrong in guessing what her kids were about to do. They had to get some parts from their shed, so they hadn't immediately begun working on 18's present. When they came back, they found the Android and its blueprints missing. Yes, they were making an Android with the ability to spar with 18(Krillin was a poor sparring partner for her). They had found a way of modifying Dr. Gero's designs in order to eliminate the need for real human beings. Also, though they could, they weren't going to make it have a complete personality. It wouldn't be human like 18. Thus it would remain a utility. It only would fight and get hurt like a person, but wouldn't live or feel, and it would remain ethical to turn it off and on as per requirements (that's why, though looking human, they called Android #21 just 'it', not 'she' or 'he'.).

When the kids came to their lab, they were in for a shock—the thing wasn't there! Without speaking a word, they exchanged glances, and Trunks quickly sensed their parents and broke into a run, with Bulla following on cue. They reached there mere seconds after Bulma reached Vegeta, and the redhead was a distant speck invisible even to Saiyan eyes, unless the person knew she was there.

* * *

What Trunks and Bulla saw, they assumed to be a usual quarrel. They had approached from behind Bulma, and hadn't seen her face; Vegeta too had straightened himself after sensing them. Before even stopping, the two began to speak at once.

—"…"

—"…………Mom? Hey Moooooooooom!"

—"…shh sis………"

—"eh?"

Trunks went up and looked at Bulma's tearful face, with a puzzled expression on his face. He knew his daddy never said anything to hurt his mommy proper, but she did look proper hurt. Bulla too came up behind Trunks, and she was as clueless. They looked at Vegeta for an explanation, but he was just staring stone-eyed at Bulma—staring and counting the seconds as they ticked away on her watch.

The siblings looked at each other and back at their parents…

—Mom?..." — "Anything…wrong?"

—"EVERYTHING'S WRONG!! DO YOU KNOW?? YOUR FATHER…(sobs…) HE WAS… CHEATING… VEGETA!!!!!!… OUT… OF MY HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!…"

—"I didn't cheat on you. "

…

All he received was a cold stare.

…

"You know I didn't! "

…

"You brats— you know …right? TELL HER!!"

…

An uncomfortable silence filled the lawn. Bulma's sobs suddenly fell silent. When she spoke again after a few seconds , she was still out of breath, and her tears had stopped; her voice was strangely calm, and it was so cold and hate-filled that their children didn't dare to speak, and as for Vegeta, it virtually cut him in two.

—"Out of my house… You can take your last allowance and the little you earned in tournaments. Take every capsule that's yours… and take your necessities. I'll settle the divorce later…GO.

For once, the Prince couldn't serve his wife a fitting answer. He simply lost the words.

—"…I…"

—"Lame effort. I said GO. I mean GO. Now G-O GO."

Everything stood still around them. Vegeta took a moment to digest the gravity in the last word his soul-mate spoke. And when he got it, he felt his insides go numb. His throat was dry, his eyes were bleary, he sweated profusely, and his heart was thumping like crazy. He quickly ran, his children's bewildered eyes following him, and using his speed came back soon with a four-capsule case strung to his belt. He had changed his gi for a blue t-shirt and black jeans. He landed. He didn't even meet his wife's cold stare. He looked at his children. They stared back. Vegeta gave them a momentary pleading look they had never seen on him, and then looked away. After a pause, he abruptly turned, took off and left as fast as his shock-struck body and mind allowed him to. Trunks and Bulla noticed a watery reflection of the mid-morning sun in his eyes, which he tried to hide in vain. They couldn't stop their tears. Neither could they believe what their mother said, nor could they make out anything substantial of what they witnessed. Suddenly Trunks got back his senses, and looked at Bulla, breaking her trance too.

"DAAAAAAAAAADYYYYYYY!!!!!!"…

COME BACK DAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!...

They called after him repeatedly, …but he didn't answer. When enough out of sight, he turned his head slightly, and then turned back, let out his tears, increased his speed and bolted off. As he was reduced to a speck, Bulma's tears returned, and she fainted. The siblings, still in a trance-like state, somehow carried her to bed and left her to the bots. Bulla was plain crying, and Trunks, after rubbing his eyes, was barely controlling himself.

—"Trunks", Bulla sobbed, "what do we…"

—"…The Son family."

—"Trunks…you call them…and Marron-chan's people…I'll try something about our droid…"

—"Forget the droid. We gotta handle this first. You try to bring Mom about and get something out of her. GO!!"

Bulla wiped her tears. She was her daddy's princess and a genius like her mom. She knew this wasn't true. She had something to know and prove. Bulla Briefs was on a mission.

—"Roger that. I'll go."

Little did they know that two certain occurrences were connected.

* * *

Somewhere above West City's AKD Street Kid's Mall, our redhead sensed spiking Briefs kis, and then sensed an unbalanced Vegeta leaving the others and the compound. The kis of the children were still disturbed, and Bulma's one was subdued.

She turned on a comm. link in her modified Fastrack watch.

—"Bradman siblings, S1 reporting. Mission accomplished."

—"Good job. Now I order…"

—"Not fair!!! I go to get a manicure and you take my turn to order her!!"

—"Shut up you two will ya"

—"You don't talk to…"

—"Hey, I'll say that!! S1, you don't talk to…"

S1 sweat-dropped and turned the comm. link off. "…Bah, and they say the Briefses are stupid."

* * *

**_*End of Chapter 1—'The Girl' of the DBZGT fanfic 'A Whatever In Need' By FanficMogul*_**

* * *

**A/N:**Hope I didn't bore you. I'd love feedback. Please forgive and mention any mistakes and tell me how to improve.


	2. Kids On Mission

**A/N: **Sorry for delay. Read my profile for good reasons. Thanks to all signed and anonymous reviewers and to all who subscribed to or faved the story. Thanks a big bunch to Satu-D-2 for review, sub and fave. Only one who did all three. Thanks also to all who read my story and my profile. Thanks a heap to ShadowMajin for Beta-ing. That version of the 1st chapter is now up with some more improvements by me. 3-way conversation in this chapter revamped with his help.  
Guys I'm new. I badly need reviews. And do visit my profile. Please? Pretty please with sugar-and-spice-and-all-things-nice on top? This chapter brings in a little of the Humour genre too. :-D Hope you'll enjoy.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I don't own DBZGT. But I do own my OCs. And I like to make the characters my puppets! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!

* * *

**_Recap_**_: Bulma was relaxing when the GR busted. She was fixing it and Vegeta was training in the lawn when he saw a girl nearly kissing him. When she reached there, the girl was nowhere to be seen. Trunks and Bulla's Android #21, gift-in-making for #18, is missing. The girl is taking orders from some people with a grudge on the Briefs family to tear it apart. She can fly and sense ki._

Trunks, having given instructions to his sister, ran to his room to find his cell phone. He scattered the painfully-cleaned room with an iPod, Goten's copy of 'Angels and Demons', a 16-GB flash drive containing company stuff, a tube of wet-look hair gel that hadn't found its way back to the washroom from the travel bag, a capsule case and several other things you'd find in rooms of guys like him, **and** nearly broke his laptop, before putting his hand in the right front pocket of his Levi's to draw out his hanky. There, he felt something hard inside the small pocket inside. He found this thing to be smooth and plastic. He pulled it out and _whew…_ there was his dear old… well no… new Blackberry Tour.

Trunks dialed the Son family's landline and heard a familiar response:

—"Hello, Son family residence. Son Goten speaking. Who's there?"

—"Hey… 'morning chibi… we have a huge problem here… yeah, the kind we couldn't solve ourselves…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Bulla had reached the infirmary door. She knocked. A bot opened the door and drew back the curtain. Bulla found her mother conscious. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes red, and it looked like her anger had completely given way to grief and shock, for she no more cursed or shouted—she only wept uncontrollably.

—"Mom… what actually happened… I mean we couldn't make out anything…"

—"Bulla… your… dad… …"

—"…was cheating on you, right? But how did you find out? What proof have you got?!"

…

Bulma kept sobbing.

…

—"Mom, you've got to stop crying or else you're never gonna get normal! Mom, please!"

…

Bulma's voice turned cold again. She sat up violently and bashed her fists on the bed.

—"Bulla, I saw your dad nearly getting kissed by a young redhead. All fashion, oh so-pretty, much, much better than Bulma Briefs. That is why. **That is why **he likes her better. And I call myself a genius. I trusted him. I thought him to be faithful. For so many years! I should've guessed that men like him never can be that way. I'd forgotten that when I'd get old, he'd run for a replacement. I am silly. And he is so… I hate him‼ You know…"

Bulma began to sob again, holding her head in her hands. Bulla slowly put her left hand on her mother's back. _I don't understand how to convince Mom to tell me something. I feel sorry for Mom but I can't believe Dad could do something like that…_

She slowly lay her mother down and looked out through the window at the bright sun, and her eyes followed the soft sunrays as they entered the room. Bulla looked down. Today's sun couldn't brighten the day for her. She knew something was wrong. But she didn't know what it was. And Bulla Briefs didn't like this kind of a situation. Especially when it concerned her loved ones and their happiness.

She looked at her mother as she closed her eyes and began to shed tears silently. For the first time in her life, Bulla felt so helpless. She let out a long, sad sigh, and decided what to say.

—"Mom… couldn't it be a mistake?"

…

No answer.

…

—"Mom?"

Bulma opened her eyes. She extended her right hand and stroked Bulla's arm lightly. Then she blinked a few times, wiped her tears, and looked steadily at her daughter.

—"Dear, I know you love your dad… he has disappointed us all. It wasn't a mistake. I know it's difficult to even think of. But you're a big girl now. You need to forget him Bulla; you need to forget him for your own good. You can cry as much as you want to. But this shouldn't be public. Vegeta will be history for us after the divorce."

—"But Mom!"

—"That's all Bulla, go now."

Bulla was about to get up, deciding to think it over and talk to Trunks, but then she paused. _Now that Mom has said that taking his name, I'll have to go the other way._ Bulla decided to suppress her inner turmoil for the sake of information from her mother.

—"Er… I understand everything Mom. But even for all that we need proof. Was that… uh… all you saw?"

—"Yes… unfortunately for us and fortunately for that… that…"

Bulla looked at Bulma and faked a smile.

—"'kay Mom, no more expletives. I'll handle this. Bye Mom."

Bulma smiled a sad but proud smile.

—"That's my baby. Bye."

Bulla got up and was walking away, when she suddenly stopped and turned towards the bed.

—"Mom, how did she come in?"

—"Your great father must have brought her in… and hidden her… Lord alone knows for how long this has been going on… I…"

—"Mom, no. NO Mom. It's okay. You just go to sleep. Bye."

Bulma sighed.

—"Hn. Bye."

* * *

—"Oh Lord good God. Looks like a thick soup this time, right?"

—"Goten, get rid of the happy tone. Do you know how it is for my sister?"

—"Not for ya, right buddy?", Gohan chipped in suddenly, surprising the two youngsters.

Goten was really offended.

—"Gohan! You shouldn't listen in on the bedroom line! No fair!"

Gohan adopted a battlefield tone, wiping away any sound of cheer from his voice.

—"Sorry bro. You sounded serious even from the back door. So I guessed it was serious and I was right. Well Trunks, I don't like my friends sad, and nor do Mom and Dad. I'll call Mom's cell. She's at Krillin's with Dad. Videl and Pan are here. I'll come over to Corp. with them and sit down in the CCTV room. My Mom will come handy in comforting yours."

—"CCTV! Oh my I forgot about that!"

—"Heh-heh. Don't worry Trunks. The Son family will get you out of this mess. I too agree with you and Bulla. Your Dad couldn't possibly have done that. Right bro?" the warrior-turned-scholar said, sounding completely in charge.

—"Yeah."

—"And I guess my Dad will agree too. I'd better be wary of Mom. She's quite… well you know… kinda old-world feminist sometimes… good thing Videl's not that way."

—"Heh… feelin' better already, y'know. So I don't have to call Marron's right?" Trunks inquired.

—"Right, I'll tell 'em," was the response.

—"Thanks both of ya. See you then."

—"Yeah… sorry for ya, buddy.", Goten spoke after what seemed to him a long time.

—"Goten… you shouldn't speak as if everything's over," the older Son responded.

—"Okay Gohan. Enough of your big-bro advice," Goten replied. "Trunks, I'll come and help too."

—"Well guys. See ya." Trunks said.

—"Bye Trunks. I'll get to the calls."

—"Yeah bye."

Gohan hung up, but Goten didn't.

—"Trunks?"

—"Bye chibi."

—"Uh… Trunks…"

—"What?"

—"I didn't mean to mean that everything was over…" the younger Son said hesitantly.

—Trunks gave a sigh. "I know that, silly."

—"…I meant that everything will be ok."

—"That's Goten for you. Thanks chibi. Come over soon. Feel better when see y'all. Thanks."

—"What are friends for? Don't lose heart, Trunks. Bye."

—"Heh. Looks like you're growin' up. Bye chibi."

—"Hey! Trunks!…"

*BEEP*. Trunks had already hung up. He laughed slightly, and on the other end, his friend smiled lightly too.

* * *

Bulla barged into the room as Trunks hung up. News being positive from both ends, a light-bulb popped over Bulla's head and they decided to try the CCTV room. Going there and switching on the records of the lawn outside the lab window, they found that it was password-protected. They were standing, now both sat down. Bulla banged the table in frustration.

—"How could I forget? It's accessible to everyone in the company! Of course Mom will keep residential areas personally password-protected!"

—"And she doesn't tell even us these things! It's only in her** will** in the code she taught us! Rules! Damn her rules!"

—"Brother, no use getting angry. We'll have to hack it. Even Gohan doesn't know it. And he's her personal assistant! But then, Gohan's a superb programmer and hacker with experience in the police, right?"

—"Couldn't we ask Mom? I don't think Gohan will agree to do **wrong** things…"

—"You think she'll tell us?"

—"Of course! Use the 'proof' excuse again!"

—"Trunks, it's not right to tell so many lies to Mom…"

—"Sis you don't call these lies. It's for a good cause. When everything will be ok Mom will know anyway, right. She can change the password or do anything she wishes then! Even Gohan has told such **lies**!"

Trunks slumped his shoulders.

—"But even then he won't hack it unless we prove to him that nothing else can be done. Damn good boys. So no matter Mom tells us or not, we'll have to do this—get it? No, no use quarrelling. Go now."

Bulla pouted, but then straightened herself.

—"So we won't tell him now, right?"

—"Right. We won't. He'll come here anyway, and…"

—"Fine, fine! I get it."

—"Heh. What? Go!"

Bulla quickly made for the infirmary. As she entered, she saw the nurse-bots standing in line, all displaying on their LCDs—'PATIENT READY TO BE TAKEN BACK HOME.' _As if one display wouldn't do_, she muttered, _know not why Mom has stopped innovating on these bots_. She saw that they had changed her into a pair of slacks and a cotton top, the two-generation standard Briefs ladies' 'home clothes'.

Bulla, with the bots, helped her mother up. She motioned at a bot to come with her and slowly walked Bulma to the room, having instructed the other bots to pass on her mother's lab-work clothes to the housekeeping bots.

* * *

Goten, after changing into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from his training gi, took off from home. Videl came out from the washroom, and being briefed about the situation, jumped into activity with the wonted promptitude of a former regular and currently on-special-request city-saver. By the time Gohan took a quick shower, Videl had woken up Pan, given her a shower, dressed her up, dressed herself and waited for Gohan in the sitting room for three whole minutes. At last Gohan came out, and they decided that Videl would drive with Pan down to Capsule Corp., and Gohan would fly to Krillin's.

After Videl had started the car, Gohan locked the house, waved to them and flew off towards the Chestnuts' home, while his wards drove to CapCorp.

* * *

At Krillin's, Gohan landed to hear lots of laughter inside, walking in, he found them eating and everyone laughing and gawking at Goku's funny ways, as usual.

—"Hey guys."

Everyone was surprised at Gohan's tone, and even Goku stopped eating to look at him.

—"Mom, Dad, if you don't mind we need your help. There's been some misunderstanding between Bulma and Vegeta and she has turned him out of the house."

—"What! My son, are you…"

—"I told you Goku! Vegeta is bad company for my son. He…"

—"Peace guys! What the hell happened, eh?"

—"Trunks says that…"

Gohan's cell rang.

—"Excuse me… yes Bulla?"

Gohan had to move the phone three inches away from himself.

—"Gohan! Mom says she saw a redhead almost kissing dad and she said she saw them just then and… and…"

—"And?"

—"And… she reached there… and the girl was nowhere… then we reached and I told you the rest."

The others gaped and screwed up their brows as they followed Gohan's end of the conversation.

—"Just a sec… the girl… kiss… unbelievable but possible… but then how did she come in?…"

—"Mom says Dad must have brought her in and hidden her and this may have been happening for Lord knows how long and all that…"

—"Fine, all said and done, where did she go? Didn't you both feel someone? Well, you weren't alert, I know, but look around. She may be there itself. Okay?"

—"Uh. Okay. Bye."

* * *

They hung up. At CapCorp, Bulla yelled for her brother.

—"Trunks!"

—"Yeah what?"

* * *

Back at Krillin's, everyone was sitting up by then.

—"Gohan, tell me clearly. What happened? What did she say?"

—"Poor Bulma, she must be really upset…sob…"

—"Mom… well, Vegeta was training in the lawn because the GR was 'busted' again, and Bulma had finished fixing it and…"

Gohan narrated the incident from what the Briefs kids had said. When he was done, Goku was standing up and screwing up his brows with his hands behind him; Krillin was looking as worried as he did during every fight the Z-warriors had fought; #18 was standing against the wall with folded arms, thinking hard; Marron was sitting with a shocked face; Chi-chi was gasping and crying. Gohan stood there, studying everyone.

—"Guys… I'm going there… I asked them to try getting CCTV footage… I don't think they tried. Residential areas are always password-protected…"

Everyone looked up at him, and 18 spoke up.

—"Hmm… or maybe they are waiting for you to get there. Anyway. I'm free. I'll come along. No, no questions now. Krillin, come."

—"Honey, I'm not dressed…"

—"Then get dressed and follow us. Chi-chi, you'd better…"

18 took out a capsule from her pocket and threw it outside. It poofed into a yellow car inscribed in black with the Corp.'s logo and '618'. Krillin ran inside the house to get ready, and a really well-dressed robot chauffeur got down and held a passenger door open.

—"…take this. And Marron."

Everyone else was too stunned to speak. Goku's face sported a look as if a million Buu's had attacked together.

—"Uh… okay…", Marron meekly agreed.

—"Wait a second. What okay? Why can't you take us, may I know?"

—"We need to fly fast. That's why."

Chi-chi gulped down her contempt and slowly walked to the car, and Marron silently followed. As they glided off, Krillin emerged from inside the house.

—"Pretty fast for you. Come on."

—"Wait… shouldn't Goku come?"

—"He knows what he should do. Out, everyone."

The two Sons and their friend obeyed, and as 18 turned the combination lock, Goku clapped a heavy hand on his elder's shoulder from behind. The youngster looked back at his Dad, and he immediately knew what he was thinking. Goku drew back his hand, and they took off together—Goku in front, 18 and Gohan second, and then Krillin.

None of them had faced this sort of things before. The kids were already on mission, now the adults needed to intervene. After all, this concerned everyone's favourite couple, and old friends.

* * *

**_*End of Chapter 2—'Kids On Mission' of the DBZGT fanfic 'A Whatever In Need' By FanficMogul*_**

* * *

**A/N: **Criticism welcome. All gratitude repeated. R&R, do.


	3. First Serious Steps

**A/N:** Thanks to all reviewers of this and the other fics. I'm trying to carry this on. Read on.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Owner of DBZ? Who, me? All OCs and situations are fictional. Any resemblance to reality and anything offensive are unintentional. Plainly, I make fun of nothing and no one.

* * *

**_Recap_****_:_**_ After seeing Vegeta 'nearly getting kissed' by a young redhead, Bulma turns him out of the house. The girl, with flying and ki-sensing abilities, is working for family enemies. In response to Trunks and Bulla's phone-calls for help, the Sons and the Chestnuts leave for CapCorp._

Bulla reached Bulma's room. The door was ajar, and it opened silently to her slight touch. The blue-haired lady was half-sitting, her back propped up against the king-sized wrought-iron bed's panel and the sky-blue wall with two pillows. The pale sea-green upholstery beautifully contrasted with her hair, her snuff top and navy-blue slacks. The windows had light aqua translucent drapes with thin line patterns in blue. The door had similar curtains, and the wood, glass and plastic of the furniture, the cloth of the drapes and sheets, were all of the best quality and taste, just like the whole of the Briefs residence. The slim state-of-the-art 21" LCD television screen suspended from the ceiling reflected some of the soft light that entered, and the black chassis glistened. The remote control lay on a small shelf built into the wall to the left of the bathroom door. The room smelled of an imported freshener, and of traces of Bulma's East-Asian perfume. The smell of fruit-scented shampoo wafted around the room, and more came in through the gap above the attached bath's door. Bulma had taken a bath, and anyone who didn't know would think nothing to be wrong with her if they didn't see her face. The blinds were up, and the sunlight entered most of the room, adding more shine to it, but a part of the drapes were drawn, and it stopped the sunlight from getting into Bulma's eyes or reaching till where the TV was, but the dimmed light lit up her face. Bulla parted the curtains slightly. She could now see her mother, but Bulma hadn't seen her yet. She was looking outside, 'The Hungry Tide' open and turned down on her lap and though her hair was no more disheveled, it fell over her shoulders, Bulla noticed, in a way that was unusual. _She never leaves so much hair drooping in front unless there's something wrong._ Bulla's heart grew heavier. _Shows that she is still as upset. She is just trying her best not to cry… for us. Wait… she has shampooed? Surely because… the room smelt of Dad's cologne when I came in to wake him up… so much for seeming normal. But I must keep it from her that we want him back… that we smell something wrong… _Bulla sighed. _Oh, Bulla, what are you doing, lost in thoughts? Time for action. Come on._ She put the whole of her head inside.

—"Mom…"

Bulma turned her head. She acknowledged her daughter with a small smile. Bulla noticed that she still had puffy eyes. Entering the room, she noticed her laptop on the bedside table, and their marriage documents lying under it. The cell phone lay outside the crystal stand. Bulla could clearly make out that her mother was all set to start 'cleaning up the mess', as she had begun to call it. Now she was just to 'steel her nerves and hand it in'. She had nothing to fear. She had money, security and the law and proof on her side. She just had to hand it in and it would be done. Within a month or two. And then, they just had to chase away the paparazzi and it would be over forever. _So simple_, Bulla thought. _Forever. Just. Is it so easy? Even for her? How will he feel? Has she really stopped loving Dad? So quickly? Has she allowed herself to believe that he did it?_ All the thoughts that Bulla had tried to bottle up came crowding into her head. Bulla just stood there, forgetting her purpose. She started at her mother's voice.

—"Yes dear?"

—"Er… Mom… we were trying to get at CCTV footage… Gohan suggested it… but we don't know the password…"

—"You told them?"

—"Ye…yes. So?"

—"Ah… nothing. They are our friends. I know they won't make it public. Did you tell all of them?"

—"Actually… we told just Gohan and Goten… they told the others. Marron's people know it, too. They said they are coming here to help me with the evidence. We need more than what you know, and everything may not even be on CCTV. I don't know if all are coming. At least the two brothers are coming… "

—"I won't tell you the password. Take me there after they come. I'll e-mail my lawyer meanwhile."

—"Mom, couldn't you postpone this divorce thing?"

—"I'm not really doing it at the moment… I need to speak to Goku about Vegeta… he knows a lot about him."

Bulla sat down on the bed. She was confused.

—"Eh?"

Bulma sighed, and some of her stoic resolve fell off, showing a little of the inner sadness she had bottled up.

—"Despite all that I said I need a better reason as to why he'd do it…"

Bulla instantly saw a ray of hope, but she quickly swallowed her happiness and stressed on her confusion.

—"But why?"

—"Don't be childish, dear."

—"Mom?"

—"It's not always so easy to stop loving a person after so many years… even if you know what he has done to you… you know what he is… you'll only understand if it ever happens to you… so it's better not to."

Bulla was toppled off her logical centre. She said what came to her, though risking another outburst.

—"So you didn't stop loving him?"

—"I'm trying hard, Bulla, I'm trying hard."

—"Mom… Gohan and Goten think what we think… there's something wrong…"

—"How can there be something wrong? See here, Bulla…"

Bulla stood up, red in the face.

—"Mom, it's also not easy to believe something of that sort about your own Dad. Who knows, you might have seen her lying there with broken bones and him dusting his hands if you'd reached a minute later. How can you say it, Mom?"

—"Then how did she come in?"

—"I don't know Mom. I don't know."

Bulla broke down. Bulma sat up, leaned on her left hand and sat her daughter down with her right.

—"Don't cry."

Bulla wiped her tears and looked at her mother.

—"How not to cry, Mom? This case, on top of that #21 is missing. Oh, you don't know. Our android."

—"Android?"

—"We were making one which'd be fully compatible with complete human configuration but would be only programmed as a training bot having complete responses only during sparring, so that deactivating and reactivating it multiple times wouldn't be unethical."

—"Oh, training? For 18's birthday? I…"

Bulla held her head.

—"Yes… it'd look like a girl, say my age, could match her power level and we made a mechanism to initiate externally harmless internal self-destruction if in any case the programming failed to prevent unwanted lethal action due to some corruption, error or malicious software attack. We went to the shed to get some last supplies so that we could set her up and test spar. But we went back to see her… sorry, it was missing. We worked so hard… not only the assembled thing… that mechanism was still kept separately… that too is gone."

—"Are you sure it wasn't your android malfunctioning?"

Bulla's phone rang with a soulful ringtone of Miley Cyrus's 'The Climb'.

—"Yes, Trunks?"

—"What're you up to, eh?"

—"Er… Mom said she'll go and get the footage after they come."

—"Oh… so you told her."

—"Yeah… Mom's fresher now."

—"Okay. I'll get back to you. Bye."

—"Wait wait wait. I told Mom about #21."

—"Oh?"

—"And she's joking about it."

—"She's trying to make things normal…

—"Hey…!"

—"…but we'll always remember Dad. We'll remember the regular busting of the GR, the taunts on different festivals saying how silly we were…"

—"Oh stop it. Uncle Goku's gonna do something, I'm sure."

—"I don't know who'll do it, but yes. Talk to Mom now. See that she forgets Dad."

—"Yeah. Roger."

And they hung up.

—"So? What Roger?"

—"Nothing Mom. I came here to tell you about the CCTV, so he's asking after. And he told me to start thinking about other sources of evidence with your help", Bulla made up a fine story.

—"Oh… so are you sure it wasn't your lady?"

Bulla let out her fabricated giggle again, this time with a tinge of genuineness.

—"Mom… really… no. Ours isn't a redhead. But jokes apart… why would anyone take it? No one can activate it but us. Even the assembly and the compatible shell scripts are unknown to anyone other than Elisha—she's the new assistant—and us. She's nice… and even if someone knows everything, he or she will know that it is very dangerous to activate her without proper configuration and that mechanism, which needs a password to get activated. That password is a random system-generated code that takes up 8 GB by itself stored in an encrypted flash drive. That again is password-protected triply."

Bulla counted on her fingers as she explained the codes to her mother.

—"One I know, one Trunks knows, and the other, a code generated from the analysis of DNA and fingerprints of us both. After entering the two passwords, we brush twenty fingertips, ten of each of us, in a specific pattern that we memorized. Then, if the code generated matches the stored code, we can access the data in the flash drive. And the flash drive is stored in a locker having two double combination locks…"

—"The ones which…" Bulma characteristically tried to make her understanding of the system clear, her scientific temperament overruling her grief for once. Her daughter stifled a sigh of relief; she was glad her mother was thinking of something else. _Now maybe our job will be easier._, she thought._ Lord, how I hate to see her so mad at Daddy…_Bulla continued, clarifying that her mother was right.

—"Yes, one code, pull, other code, pull…two of them. We have this level of security since the first time we began to use our mini-lab…"

Bulla's concern over the droid could easily be expressed to her mother, and she took the opportunity to release some of her other concern on her face under the guise of this. She hated to hold a false face. Her mother's light-hearted reply convinced her that she had pulled it off without arousing suspicion.

—"I know. I know both the stuff and the inventor. That's a long story, actually."

Bulla, eager to cheer up her mother, decided to express her curiosity.

—"Wow… so there's a story?"

—"Yeah, know what, when Dr. Merino Bradman of Brad Sciences died the day before the Annual International Innovators' Challenge in Ohio, his children represented him… Hugo and… Emily? No. Erina? Whatever. They launched software that assigned complicated passwords based on fingerprints, and it was much more secure than the fingerprint sensor, because it used a pattern of prints. At the same platform, Dad presented a code generator that used his previous invention, the MicroForens, to analyze single or multiple DNA samples for identification. Mom & I were with him… I was his assistant already, few months before I found Goku… you know when. Later, because of some poker bet they had lost to his crazy wife—and the girl's mother—she hated his research, especially when he trained the kids in it—, they had to sell its rights to the winners for 5 Zeni because they lost."

Bulla sniggered at the strange reason. Bulma's face turned solemn for a while, momentarily tensing up her daughter, who was soon relieved.

—"Funny, I know, but you don't know how bad a tantrum she could throw. Anyway, they lodged her in an asylum and disappeared… runner-up by 12/387 votes plus Dad's death… they too had helped with the invention…"

Bulma's face showed sympathy to the children of her father's rival.

—"But my Dad promised to make good of it… yeah, we won. Later I developed a way to fuse Dr. Bradman's work with Dad's work for a combined code. Then you both came up with the technology to analyze fingerprints and DNA of dead skin cells from one brush, which really sold, and convinced me that you needed your own lab."

Bulla smiled and gaped together.

—"Wow! You never told us anything more than whose it was before?"

—"Heh. So, the thief is either crazy, or incredibly selfish. Damn them if they reprogram your stuff. But how did they jump security?"

—"We'll check the CCTV for that too. Bye now, Mom. They'll be here anytime; I'll call you then."

—"Yeah bye. Don't worry, okay?"

Bulla had already walked out, satisfied. Bulma heard a faint response from the far end of the corridor. "Okay!" She stretched out a hand to get the glass box on the shelf carved into the wall above the table. All her fancy stuff that tore but not beyond repair, became loose, or popped a fixture, found their place here, sometimes after slight improvisation, to be worn at home. After messing for a while with these, she picked out a fancy elastic band knitted in beige and caramel, and pulled hair back in a ponytail. Keeping the box back, she lay on her stomach, and as her face touched the pillow, she smelt expensive cologne and pine shampoo. Bulma rang the bell, and when the housekeeping bot came, she ordered a thorough washing of everything—nothing to be left smelling, or reminding her otherwise, of the man she had decided to stop taking the name of—the man she still couldn't help loving.

The billionaire scientist then sat up on her bed. She picked up her laptop and put it in its bag. She put the cell phone in her pocket, and inserted the papers into the side compartment of the bag. She left the room and walked down the corridor. She turned left at a point and took the passage to the residential office, where her home secretary sat on working days to manage semi-personal communication and personal calls from professional sources. She cleared her own small table there of some letters and sat herself down, toying with the things she'd brought and waiting for her room to be cleaned.

* * *

It was mid-morning already. Goten landed on the lawn in the residential area of Capsule Corporation. He searched for the ki-s once again. Vegeta was somewhere far away, and Bulla was moving, somewhere between Trunks and Bulma. She was getting nearer to Trunks. His long-practiced knowledge of the Corp's plan told him that Bulma was in her room or in the corridor in front, and Trunks was in the security office between the main offices and the residential. As he floated upwards, he sensed Bulla, and then saw her passing through the open-roofed corridor from the residential guard's room to the security building. He followed her, and descended on the corridor as she disappeared at the bend to the Breach Evidence Section.

There was no one outside or in the corridor other than bots about their myriad business and one human guard at the far end, sitting at the outpost terminal, and wearing the look all guards wore on weekend duty. Goten pulled out his cell phone and texted Trunks. "Hey, sense me." He perked up his ear for the somewhat crazy metallic voice singing "There's an SMS" in the tune of the ABBA classic "Hear me SOS", that he knew too well. He heard it in a few seconds, and hardly had Trunks read it, sensed Goten, eye-rolled, and left his seat with a clear intent to bang his buddy, his prospective victim barged in.

—"Trunks! Hey Trunks! What, what, what're you doing… oh, CCTV… I…"

Trunks flopped back down on his swiveling chair.

—"Goten! I told you NOT to barge in like that!"

—"No fair! You don't knock on my door!"

—"Now, stop talking like a kid. 'No fair'! You're an adult now, chibi!"

—"Then why do you call me chibi?"

—"Goten, now you're disturbing me! Dammit. Mom and Dad, then you…"

—"But Trunks! I'm here to help you!"

Trunks slumped his shoulders and looked up at the blank screens before him, before looking back at his friend.

—"I know chibi, I know."

Goten leaned on Trunks's chair. Trunks thumped the other chair and looked up at his friend.

—"Why don't ya sit?"

Goten sat down on the other chair, pulled his chair closer to Trunks's.

—"So? Found anything?

—"Residential area. Password-protected. Bulla went to Mom about it, she said she'd tell us after you all came."

—"All of us? Well… oh, yeah, where's Bulla? I thought she'd be here…"

—"Gone to check previous evidence of security breaches… she'll tell me if she finds anything useful."

—"Oh. You guys really need an automatic ki-sensor or something. You didn't even sense her! Now I guess I've nothing to do."

—"Nothing useful, but hang on anyway. Maybe a chat and potato chips will clear my mind…"

—"Why don't we go and help your sister?"

Trunks rose from his chair.

—"Yeah. She's stupid. The other day I teased her for having a Miley Cyrus ringtone and she said she didn't even know it was Miley Cyrus. She said she found it on the net, it was inspirational and so she put it. And she still wouldn't change it. It's sort of 'so what she's like that the song is good' with her. Not only songs, anything. She…"

Goten rose from his chair.

—"Trunks, don't direct your frustration on other people."

—"Oh, chibi's talking like a grown up…"

Goten delivered the childish pout characteristic of his lineage and barked at his friend.

—"Trunks, I **am** an adult. I'm just being sensible. It's natural to be angry for the reason you are, but I guess you should trust everyone a bit and relax. Getting all worked up doesn't help. What do you do in a fight? Blast the bad guy or us?"

—"You're really behaving out of character… see, I don't know who the bad guy is!"

Goten rested his arm on his friends shoulders.

—"We'll find out, don't worry."

—"Fine, you win", Trunks smiled, "thanks to you I'm feeling all cheered up. Why does this always happen? Damn. Fine, we'll help little sis."

—"As if you won't like doing it."

Goten pushed the other half-Saiyan towards the door, a triumphant smile on his face on easing his best friend's worry.

—"And know what?" Trunks began as they walked down the short passage, "She voiced our suspicion to Mom, and Mom didn't take it too bad. She admitted that she'd need to talk to Uncle Goku about why it happened and that she hadn't stopped loving him and stuff… so confusing."

The younger Son brightened at the story.

—"That's a good sign man, believe me. It'll make dealing with the trouble easier. Remember to tell the others."

And they walked together to where Bulla was, silently enjoying each other's supportive company.

* * *

Up in the sky above West City's periphery, a group of fighters—a Saiyan, a half-Saiyan, a human and an android flew towards Capsule Corporation, silently.

A small bend in the 11th National Highway, to the right of anyone entering West Metro City from the North, ended in a connecting street to Dr. Briefs Sr. Memorial Avenue, the last main road to the Corp. A small red air-car with the Corp's logo took a right turn at the bend. The female martial artist at the wheel tuned the radio to a kids' programme to keep her young daughter at her side pacified, and then took an obscure bend from the Avenue to take a short-cut avoiding the traffic jam. Once in the maze of the narrower, deserted streets, she speeded up, desperate to reach at the earliest.

Another small yellow Capsule car made it's way through the traffic on the outskirts of the City. A young noseless blonde was at the wheel, with a black-haired matriarch beside her. Both of them wore a grave countenance.

All the parties braced themselves for some unhealthy problems at their common destination. But that dissuaded none, because none wanted to see their friends break away. They all understood well, and shared whole-heartedly, the concern of the younger Briefses.

* * *

**_*End of Chapter 3—'First Serious Steps' of the DBZGT fanfic 'A Whatever In Need' By FanficMogul*_**

* * *

**A/N:** Nothing much. R&R, please. I'll be back at the earliest. See y'all!


	4. Those Running The Show

**A/N: **I hate people who read my fics but don't review! Even if you don't like it, pop in and say so! Waah! Anyway, here's Chapter 4.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** The only things I'll ever get from writing this are reviews, faves, subs, hate-mail, late-for-supper rows and the love of people who like it. ~emotional~ And yeah, yeah, writing practice!

And Ankit Fadia exists, so do Miley Cyrus, McDonalds, Serena Wiliams, Roger Federer, Peter Parker… no sorry he doesn't... Well whatever so do I, so frig ya for complaining that I'm USING real people! You're using me to write fanfiction! ~triumphant look~

* * *

**_Recap:_**_ A redhead tries to seduce Vegeta, Bulma thinks he's cheating, and she turns him out of the house. Trunks and Bulla call the others to help them with the trouble, and others respond quickly. But what they don't tell others is that their new android is also stolen. Bulla has a talk with Bulma, who shows her first tender emotions since the incident, and the kids try to find evidence. Goten arrives at Capsule Corp., and others too are on the way._

* * *

The formation of four fighters flew in silence.

_Oh. Couldn't they help getting in sticky situations in peacetime? And why did **I** agree to help? Should've married someone else… I'm talking like Vegeta. Who wants to hide themselves from their own selves? Damn, I should've remained my former self… Damn, 18, stop thinking; _the android blonde decided it was too complicated…

_Heh-heh. Good thing the problem's not a fight. I can hardly help in those lately, these Saiyans are too strong. This is where they need me. Wow, I'm getting the feeling of old days… heroic…_ The bald-headed hero was trying to see the bright side and be cheerful as usual, and gave himself a small smile to pep his spirits…

Try to keep cool as he might, Gohan had concern in his genes. _Umm… the kids must be really upset. I can only think of helping with the evidence… after so many years of knowing him, Vegeta would sooner blow up the planet or kill Dad than cheat on Bulma. Do the others have a plan to help? _

_Where's Vegeta? No one's thinking about that? _

And the universe's strongest fighter was his usual concerned self. _Why aren't they searching for Vegeta? Any specific reason maybe? They didn't look like they wanted to tell much on the phone… Should I sense Vegeta? Don't think so. Maybe there's a reason they're not searching for him… but… do they have an idea what his bad mood can cause? Maybe they're just waiting for evidence or whatever… that way I've no work to do… I'm worried about Vegeta… He wouldn't do it… would he? Why would he? He must be hurt, and knowing him, bottling it all up and getting heated up… I must ask to take that front…_ Goku was ambiguous and unsure in his attempt to size up the situation, but nonetheless Goku's thoughts had reached an important part, at the same time as his eldest.

As the group of airborne fighters entered the city's sky, the scholarly half-Saiyan broke their steady formation, and silence. He edged up to his father's left side, and studied his stern face. Needless to say, Goku was worried. But what was he thinking? Goku felt his son's stare and looked at him, frown slightly eased. Gohan took that as an ok to speak and decided to voice his uncertainty.

—"Umm… Dad, wouldn't Vegeta be angry? And where's he? I don't believe he did it! Daddy, I guess…" Gohan paused warily, as Goku looked down, frown returning for a split second, before he looked back at his son.

—"One at a time, son. Well, difficult questions all of them, but my boy, I agree with you that he wouldn't do it. I know him well; I trust his principles. I didn't try sensing him. I want others to know I want to search for him. Maybe they wouldn't like it for some reason? I don't know about you, but the whole mess is not clear to me… I don't know what he's thinking, what Bulma's thinking, what she exactly saw… we don't know the most important stuff. Vegeta or you mother wouldn't trust me at it, but let me think." Goku attempted to free up his son, boggling his own mind more in the process. _If Vegeta would known how confused I am, he'd call me a clueless idiot for sure._ Goku smiled lightly at the thought of the familiar insult which had grown endearing over the years.

Gohan edged back to his position in the formation, but his conversation with Goku had stirred up the quiet group. Krillin suddenly popped a light bulb in his head—he had remembered something he was **sure** everyone had forgotten.

—"Goku, why don't you take us there by Instant Transmission?", he said animatedly. Goku suddenly stopped and flipped back to float in a standing position. He raised his hand to the back of his head.

—"Hey… great idea! Oh my, I forgot! Come on guys, let's…"

—"Goku, you can do that to find Vegeta", #18 interrupted. Now we need to think before we face Bulma. You can't expect her emotions to be very stable given the situation. Give me some time at least… you others can IT if you wish… I'd avail of it after I've sorted out more of this… the kids not knowing what actually happened doesn't help…"

—"Krillin, what do you think… I guess Eighteen's correct… Gohan?"

—"Whatever you say", chorused his son and his friend. And they continued their flight towards Capsule Corp.

* * *

Far away in the mountains, to the northeast of West City, a huge concrete building was built into a stone overhang. It had been abandoned several years back, when Frank Minerals moved to a safer and more modern location after being acquired by Capsule Corporation. It bore the perfect look of what everyone knew it to be—a dilapidated construction—at least when one looked at the exterior— who would look inside an abandoned building?

No one would, and this was something well known to the heirs of the extinct Brad Sciences. If anyone WOULD enter, they would find a dim-lit area, with an elevator, and platform leading to a stairwell, leading both above and below. The elevator doors opened only to magnetic card-swipes, and the if old stairwell took the same authorized entry mechanism, the ultra-modern machinery inside transformed it into two halves of escalators—one moving up, the other down, and subject to control of the cards. And if it didn't get the swipes, every step was a switch for some deadly trap. A quarrel had ensued while it was being modified—the sister thought no one would look in anyway, and thus found the security useless, while the brother wanted maximum security at their 'base'.

Another covered tube, flushed to the wall, occupied a corner of the polygonal room. The escalator and elevator led to several high-security rooms, spread over two floors—one above the entry room and one below. The communication and facilities were all modern, and the look of the place made it evident that it was used for different levels of authority, both residential and occupational.

Above, there were dormitories; a power station and a water supply using the nearby spring; controls of the central supplies, heating and security; all controlled by the latest electronics. Around twenty workers in two different kinds of uniforms ran around, one kind manning controls, other kind doing little physical work here and there, but armed and ready to face any intruders. All the workers had the access cards strapped to their uniforms. Another elevator was present besides the one based in the access room. It was the tube that ran up the corner—it opened only in the floors. A pneumatic chute was stationed near the main intercom, connecting the floor below for easy material transfer. This upper floor was more exposed to the outside, with a glass window facing the open, and intentionally left unclean. The security surveillance was after-all done by hidden CCTV cameras and microphones, which monitored every worker and the surroundings.

The lower floor's entrance had a retina scanner, and the doors opened to a small antechamber, which had the elevators and the pneumatic chute. It also had comm. links, and a few controls governing the facilities on that floor. One worker of each category manned the space. Next came two private suite-like living spaces, separated by a lounge area with a small sofa, a slim wall-hung TV and a desktop PC for personal use. Two housekeepers worked on the floor, one boy, one girl. This lounge another area of dispute between the owner siblings—the brother didn't like the luxuries his sister couldn't do without.

And there was a small room that only the two siblings had access to. Or rather, three. The head of the security forces was their third sister, much younger than the other two who were a year apart. She was never interested in her siblings' family feuds, luxuries, or their plans. She was neither the scientist nor the author, not the favourite of either parent. Hated, and from what she had gathered, she was a mistake. Sometimes she even doubted if she was the full sibling of them both. She stayed here, doing what she did best—wielding weapons, training a force, and earning a fat salary. And yes, she was great in disguise and role-play; she spied for them, and trained spies. She stayed in the women's dorm in the upper floor, but yes, she had a space to herself—'Do not disturb Elisha B.'.

The lower floor was completely concealed in the rock, with completely artificial lighting. The two private rooms were opposites: one was a lavender-themed, cosmetic-filled, furniture-blocked room with a luxury bath, and the other a dark-themed mess with a simple shower. Both had names on the plastic-coated metal doors—in blue Chilly on the pink one, 'Eugene'—and in gold Garamond on the black, 'Hugo'—he hated his real name. But yes, he didn't mess with Elisha if she called him by his first and middle name—'Hubert Gulliver'.

The private areas of the lower floor seemed so much like siblings sharing a moderate space, that the slightest notion that an outsider may have had of serious activities in the other areas would vanish. But there were, surely serious happenings going on. The place was a posh, high-tech seat of crime and conspiracy. Made from corruption, stolen technology and remains of mainstream civilization, this small organised group even had help from old Red-Ribbon research. Their only goal—finish the Briefs, bring Capsule Corporation down, acquire it, and change everything to their names, thus reviving to Brad Sciences. And taking envious revenge on some people. In that order of priority.

The upper floor's antechamber was where the two siblings sat, pulling up chairs near the comm. systems. The systems streamed constant data about the movements of their revenge plans on the screens. The sister had a housekeeping worker stay put with a paper to hold her nail filings, as she couldn't leave the place, lest her brother stole her turn of ordering 'Her'.

* * *

On the other end of the Western Province, bordering Saviour Olibu Conserved Area in North-West Territories, the same mountain range ended its 500-mile run. Somewhere on a rock ledge there, a muscular man of short stature and rather queer hair, sat, head lowered, and his face was invisible to the viewer. No viewer there was, for that matter, except some mountain goats, and a few birds that came up till that height, the rock-line level where the vegetation gradually dropped to none.

The man was, at that point of time, lost in a vast range emotion. Anger, as he wasn't able to defeat the problem before him; indignity, as his loved one hadn't believed him; despair, for he had no one who would believe him; sadness, at the thought of his children; fear, thinking of the future. And the same old pride that kept telling him that he was being weak, that he didn't need help; duly competed by the newer resurfaced tenderness that told him to be honest at least to himself, to give all of it not a damn, and think how to get back the love and trust he craved for and reveled in.

The anger had pushed up some violent instincts in him, some murderous thoughts about whosoever was responsible, and frustration at not knowing the actual mystery behind the 'whore'.

Little did he know that he was still loved, cared for, and worried about, somewhere back in the inhabited regions of the 'mud-ball'.

He had let his despair sweep over him for a while, before suppressing himself and letting the anger consume him. But it didn't work like other times… his strength was going down… sadness… despair… they consumed him… he was lost… loveless… his children…

_Of course! The brats know I wasn't infidel! … _

_…They know, right? Don't they?_

_… they don't know… they saw less than what Bulma did… at least I can hope for the benefit of their doubt… relying on doubt? Me? The Prince of the mightiest race of the Universe? Who cares for what they think? She's fortunate she had me… _

His thoughts paused, as his mind switched emotions again.

_… I don't deserve… I… couldn't… kill… that… girl… Damn it all!_

Vegeta's thoughts passed his children, and briefly stopped on the woman's parents who had given him a taste of filial love after so many years dry of it… _They'd ask her to cease being mine…_

And then he thought of all the people he had developed an unsaid bond with—the people he had come to call allies, comrades, or even friends—in the privacy of his mind. They were so important… _important…_

_You will all ask her to do the same… to leave me be, find a man who could be so much better… or no man at all. You will like it, won't you, weaklings? Sweet revenge, isn't it? Isn't it? Now I'm powerless, you have all the power… I can't harm the woman, but I'll make you pay… I'll certainly make you pay!_

_Will she tell you? You of course will know… will you tell her what I think you will? Kakarott's young brat… what advice will you give my boy? And your brother? Your brainless father? Your father._

_Kakarott? What do you have to say? She's your friend, tell her… what? Forget it, I despise your ways of playing problem-solver…super-saviour, aren't you?_

Thinking randomly about his suddenly shattered life, Vegeta didn't realise when he began to visualize that the woman was before him… that he was trying to tell her…

_Bulma… See, I called you by name… I know your name, Bulma, I just love to call you woman… because you are a wonderful woman… and because you look enchanting when you're displeased with me…_

_Why am I thinking like a wimp?_

And thus continued his emotional cycle; he felt like breaking down again, then like destroying the planet, and again all hopeless. Vegeta knew no escape.

_'Being hated by someone you hate is easier than being hated by someone you love…' How true that long-haired fool was… not very different from his little brother, was he? I really would've preferred Frieza at the moment… Why me?_

Vegeta had learnt to open up to himself since the Majin episode, but that didn't help him—he only remembered all that made him feel like a hopeless coward—his planet, his family…

Vegeta's nerves didn't ease, but he was surer than ever before, that all he wanted was trust… and he had been foolish enough to lose something so hard-earned.

First time since his talk with Bulma after Buu, Vegeta wept while he was awake—not because of a nightmare, but because his present was hell again, like his past… _Why? How? _No answer_…_

* * *

_—"Why did you, Vegeta? I thought you'd have ridden yourself of that stupidity by now. Why? Why did you let the evil get you? Why were you greedy for power? Why Vegeta? Don't you love me? Don't you love Trunks? … "_

_Such had been the sort of despaired questions she had asked him that night… He had said he cared for everyone, he had let go of his pride and admitted her that he was blinded by the prospect of defeating Kakarott, that he had forgotten the value of power hard-earned through training, through toiling on his own._

_And she had trusted him again, loved him still, and had finally eased him by promising to be with him always, "…as long as you love me, our kid and our friends", she had begun, a strange seriousness all over her countenance. "…as long you promise not to disappoint us again, not to kill me in future", she had finished, bratty smile returning after a long, long time._

_That 'kill' had hurt him badly, but he understood that he was the cause, and he didn't mind as long as he was trusted. "Well, as you say onna", he said. And she had kissed him, with the same trusting love from before._

_And the others had forgiven him, though he knew they hadn't forgotten. But they all had accepted him. And he felt he was less feared, less rejected. Like they appreciated his attempted self-sacrifice. Like he was somewhat an unsaid hero too, like Kakarott. At Bulma's parties, they regarded at him less warily, and Kakarott had quietly come up behind him during Bulma's post Buu celebration, and patted him on the back and said something congratulatory, duly accompanied by foolish grin. Now what was that he said? Yeah, "Good job on that, Veggie." And they both knew what he was talking about. That was the first time he had not snarled at him at the address. He had just grunted in reply. And yes, his son was freer with him, and did not hesitate to pounce on his back when he was on his way to the GR. And contrary to his expectations, he actually liked all of it._

And now he had lost it all, in spite of being, as the Woman liked to put it, 'on his best behaviour'.

* * *

Goten and Trunks entered the Breach Evidence Section to find a blue-haired young heiress banging the furniture belonging to her mother's property. Trunks decided that a cheery tone would be the safest to use with her.

—"Hey sis, found anything?"

—"Yeah, yeah, anything?", Goten chirped in, sensing Bulla's building steam. But it pushed out anyway.

—"You boys were lazing about in the CCTV room and what did I find here? I found that loooooooong ago, when my grandfather was a head physicist of CapCorp., we didn't have a laser-monitored air security. Then someone with a parachute landed and stole the owner's gold watch. Soon after my grandfather was made the company's Vice-President, then eventually President, with the boss Günter retaining only owner ship. What? Yeah, he was a European immigrant like Mom's side but they're from Germany not Swiss-Scots like Mom's family. So, what was I saying? Yeah, by then he had introduced the first laser lattice security. Only once after that, someone sent a tiny hawk to RETURN the watch with a note that it was just a bet. And the police closed the case…"

—"Aah, good, now," Trunks made the mistake of assuming that the speech was over, but they had to keep listening, wide-eyed and attentive…

—"There's more you fools! That was the LAST breach until this morning! Because Grandpa found that the lasers were very less in number and the gaps between them was too large. And he couldn't sanction the research to find the optimum balance between costs and security by re-arranging the lasers. Why? Because the owner was in the hospital and any domestic improvement of the company's premises required top sanction. And next day the childless bachelor died, bequeathing his dream company to his favourite scientist Dr. Bakisaru Briefs. And then Grandpa did the research, and no one entered our compound since then, until today morning! So, the present security system has never been breached since then till today morning! See my problem? Today morning!

—"Um, Bulla, did you cross-check the security systems? I'm not a genius like you both or Gohan, but…"

—"Come to the point!" the Briefses chorused.

—"Yeah, yeah, I'm not a… heh-heh, sorry, but I think there may be code-crackers… no, not hackers Trunks! All people who can hack systems are hackers! Hacking is the good, talented job. Cracking is using it for bad things! …"

—"The POINT?" Bulla screamed.

—"Ankit Fadia mania. Who? Young talented hacker-book author who wrote his first book at 11…"

—"YOU SHUT UP!"

—"Yeah, and enemies MAY crack our system codes…" Goten somehow finished. Bulla gaped in admiration.

—"Oh WOW! I never thought of it, I bet even Trunks didn't, Goten you're a damned GENIUS!" she said, before storming out of the room so fast that Trunks thought seriously of complaining to his mother that his father was forcing her to train… _now how would that look like…_

He was cruelly shaken out of his daydream.

—"Hey Trunks, what did Bulla say just now?"

—"That you're a genius" Trunks replied blindly.

—"Well am I?" Trunks came to his senses with that. He turned to his friend, turning to face him lop-faced.

—"Naw."

Goten sighed. "I knew it already."

—"So do we go after her?"

—"Yeah."

* * *

Back at the 'base', the Bradman duo were still put at the ante-chamber comm. links, bickering about turns and getting bored as the only thing the saw was the Briefs people moving about in CapCorp, some others nearing them, and Vegeta put on a cliff edge.

'She' was riding at an elevated amusement park near the mall, keeping a watch on everyone through her sensors. And adamantly not sending any data to her bosses. Her only reply—"your job will be done". Hugo hardly spoke. He made a few snide comments at his sister, who kept bickering for the rest of the time, while her brother switched her screeching voice off from his senses and closed his eyes.

—"Hmph. We should've tried to put a tracker in her."

…

—"Hey, why don't you say anything? Know what? We should've tried to emulate the technology with which the bitch's friend caught Cell coming from behind every time…"

Hugo turned his head mildly towards her, disinterest written all over it.

—"Eh? What bitch?"

—"Her name is Bulma, but I won't take it! I'm sure she uses stupid technology to project her friends and family as superheroes! Hey! Eww! I just took it! Silky! Mouthwash!"

—"Sis…"

—"Yeah whaaaaaaat?"

—"There must be complex bio-science in what she does to make them that way. As their systems are normal from what our trackers say. Anyway, whom am I telling, there's a hell of a difference between a real scientist and a sci-fi author. That too…"

—"What, what different? It takes an understanding of both science and language to write sci-fi! And that too what?"

—"But it doesn't take an understanding of really HOW all those things will happen. And that too a sci-fi author who changes everything to a sappy R-O-M-A-N-C-E… and look at your pen name… Miss Eggplant…"

—"Kids like it!"

—"You don't write for kids really…"

—"Hey, you, you…"

The alternate screech and lazy blurt exchange was interrupted by a methodical voice through the comm.. link.

—"Sir, Ma'am. Our Radar and Sonar systems tell us that the place where the lone male target was situated has suddenly decreased in altitude but the altitude of the target, though on the same zenith, has increased…"

* * *

**_*End of Chapter 4—'Those Running The Show' of the DBZGT fanfic 'A Whatever In Need' By FanficMogul*_**

* * *

**A/N:** Slightly longer, sorry for descriptions if they were a bit tedious. Up to you guys to figure out what the last dialogue is supposed to mean. ^_^ Sorry for being late but I'm jammed by so many ideas I have a planning crisis. ^_^ Sorry for title too.


End file.
